Hugo Ekitike. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)placeholder image
Hugo Ekitike. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The striker was an unused substitute in Liverpool’s 3-1 FA Cup victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Arne Slot says that he is taking solace from Liverpool’s squad availability improving for the business end of the season.
The Reds advanced into the FA Cup quarter-finals with a 3-1 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers. Andy Robertson, Mo Salah and Curtis Jones were on target for the Reds in the second half at Molineux as the visitors earned revenge for their loss to Wolves in the Premier League three days earlier.
Slot made four changes for the tie, with regular starters Hugo Ekitike and Ibrahima Konate among those who were named on the bench. The Liverpool head coach used the game as a chance to shuffle his pack amid a busy fixture schedule, with a trip to Galatasaray in the Champions League last 16 first leg next week.
The Reds have been plagued by injuries throughout the season, but Jeremie Frimpong recently returned from a groin issue while Florian Wirtz overcame a back complaint and was used off the bench against Wolves.
Slot admitted it has been difficult not being able to rotate his starting line-up as much as he’d like in recent weeks. The Liverpool head coach said: “It's nice to have players available again not only 12, 13, 14. I don't think I have said anything at all about that but now we have them back, maybe I can say something; these same players constantly had to play every three days and that sometimes impacts performances.
“As you see everywhere in Premier League sides who have to play every three days, you see rotation but I was not always able. The fact these players had to play so much, a lot and could not always bring their best performance makes sense to me then. It's good that we could rotate a little bit more with players coming back and players who came in doing really makes it easier for me to rotate but to impact the game off the bench.”
There was a nervous moment for Liverpool in the closing stages when Alexis Mac Allister needed treatment after being on the receiving end of a robust tackle from Hwang Hee-chan. Mac Allister was substituted for Trey Nyoni, although that change was already in the offing. Asked if Mac Allister was OK after his knock, Slot replied: “I think so, yes.”
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